Hello folks!
I need your help, please.
My shooting partner (no computer for internet) bought (in Germany)
a COLT Lightning rifle (pump action) in 38/40 calibre.
Produced (suggested) in 1887.
He measured the bore and, because oversized, needs a mould with a Diameter of .406 or max .407 (bullet weight 170 to 180 Grains)
No chance, getting one in Germany.
He owns a calibre fitting mould in .401, but loaded with this dia, his gun
(he also....) can't hit the proverbal barn-door (50 yards).
He could eventually "open" a good mould for the .40 S&W, but will not risk to destroy his otherwise used mould.
My question:
Is in the good ol' USA a manufacturer (please, no expensive custom maker of moulds) offering an oversized mould for the rifle.
(...you know: it must be a flat point design...)
Thank you very much for all replies!

Hello folks!
I need your help, please.
My shooting partner (no computer for internet) bought (in Germany)
a COLT Lightning rifle (pump action) in 38/40 calibre.
Produced (suggested) in 1887.
He measured the bore and, because oversized, needs a mould with a Diameter of .406 or max .407 (bullet weight 170 to 180 Grains)
No chance, getting one in Germany.
He owns a calibre fitting mould in .401, but loaded with this dia, his gun
(he also....) can't hit the proverbal barn-door (50 yards).
He could eventually "open" a good mould for the .40 S&W, but will not risk to destroy his otherwise used mould.
My question:
Is in the good ol' USA a manufacturer (please, no expensive custom maker of moulds) offering an oversized mould for the rifle.
(...you know: it must be a flat point design...)
Thank you very much for all replies!

Buffalo arms is a good place to try.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm?viewfrom=13&catid=49&step=2

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,62.html

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm?viewfrom=13&catid=310&step=2

Buffalo arms is a good place to try.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm?viewfrom=13&catid=49&step=2

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,62.html

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm?viewfrom=13&catid=310&step=2

Hello "boreal" for your reply (fast as lightning)!
The URL will be VERY helpful for my friend!
Thank you very much (also in the name of my friend)!

ulrick,

Sorry I'm a little late on this one. Black powder cartridges were the only ones available when your friend's rifle was made. Bore dimensions varied more in the black powder era since b.p. had the ability to bump up bullets for accurate shooting. He could try making his bullets from pure lead and trying b.p..

I have a '73 Winchester made in 1882 that has an oversized bore and with lead bullets that are .006" under groove diameter, and black powder, it shoots accurately. With smokeless, accuracy is non exsistant.

To shoot smokeless, the best thing to do is to take his current mold to a machinist and have it opened up but since he does not want to risk that the best option would be to bump up the bullet he currently makes to the larger diameter.

I have done this for my afore mentioned '73 winchester with its oversized bore and it works very well.

The first thing to do would be to measure the inside diameter of a fired case to be sure that it would take a bullet that is .406" in diameter. If yes, go to (A.) if no, go to (B)

(A)
Take a fired cartridge case and have a steel or aluminum rod turned to .407" diameter. The length should be the distance from the inside bottom of the case to 1/16" into the bottom of the case neck.

With the rod in place, place a bullet into the case neck and run it into the seating die. Adjust the seating screw down until the bullet bumps up to the proper diameter. A flat faced seating screw works the best for this.

This works very well......providing there is enough clearance in the neck of the die. If not, back the die out until the top of the case is at the bottom of the neck in the die.

It is best to lube the bullets before they are bumped up.

(B)
Get some polyethylene shot buffer. Use a slower burning smokeless powder (I use 4227) with a proper charge weight for the cartridge and back off 10%. Fill the rest of the case with buffer to a level that is 1/2 way or so up the inside of the case neck. Then seat the bullet.

The buffer firewalls the bullet allowing no powder gases to get by thus letting the undersized bullet align itself in the bore being undisturbed by the powder gases, thus giving accurate shooting.

I have tried that technique in my oversized bore Winchester and it worked very well.

Good Luck,
John

Was loking for lead bullets for a .401WSL with a bore of .408".

Found that most .41mag. bulelet can be sized down evenly in a press mounted (Lee type) die if you fully fill the lube grooves with lube before sizing. Lube won't compress...so the grease grooves stay full size. Bulletsw grow a bit in length from this, but I'd not hesitate to use this "trick" if I wanted .406"-407" bullets.